The Henderson Family Foundation
The Henderson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in San Francisco, California. Its 2024 filing reports 56 grants totaling $4,416,459 to charitable organizations, with listed purposes including public art, education, voting and democracy work, and cultural organizations.
The Henderson Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Henderson Family Foundation gave $4.4M across 56 grants in 2024 (avg $79K), mostly in California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,416,459
- +68.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 56
- +55.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $78,865
- +8.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $110,215,432
- +10.3% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- California (67% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Henderson Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3450 Sacramento St 900, San Francisco, CA 94118
Phone: (650) 804-7100
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Henderson Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Chapel & York US Foundation Inc ($500K). Together the top 10 received $2.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
142 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 69 grants of 142 (49%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, California organizations received 67% of grant dollars, New York organizations 19%, Georgia organizations 5%, Pennsylvania organizations 3%, and New Hampshire organizations 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 56 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Henderson Family Foundation gives
- 53% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 274% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 90% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.2M (2021) to $4.4M (2024). In 2024 it made 56 grants totaling $4.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Chapel & York US Foundation Inc New York, NY | Birmingham city university's henderson computer, engineering & technology awards | $500,000 |
| San Francisco Foundation Los Angeles, CA | India Basin Waterfront Park Campaign | $500,000 |
| Illuminate the Arts San Francisco, CA | Bay Lights 360 Campaign | $250,000 |
| Girls Who Code Inc New York, NY | General Support | $200,000 |
| Locus Science Fiction Foundation Oakland, CA | General Support | $200,000 |
| Voteamerica Inc San Francisco, CA | Campus Programs in Arizona | $160,000 |
| Pennsylvania Voice Philadelphia, PA | Work in Philadelphia and Its Suburbs | $150,000 |
| Project TF San Francisco, CA | General Support | $150,000 |
| Tides Foundation El Monte, CA | Center for Working Families' Work in Pennsylvania | $150,000 |
| Women Donors Network San Francisco, CA | Abortion Bridge Collaborative Fund | $150,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $110,215,432 | $2,147,593 | $5,222,378 | $4,416,459 | 56 | $4,771,909 | $2,193,103 | $5,285,957 |
| 2023 | $99,959,458 | $472,335 | $4,637,176 | $2,622,346 | 36 | $3,009,743 | $1,704,372 | $4,632,431 |
| 2022 | $96,337,656 | $340,932 | $4,774,797 | $3,964,013 | 43 | $3,964,013 | $1,268,591 | $4,875,481 |
| 2021 | $111,333,025 | $137,987,606 | $6,182,605 | $1,180,000 | 7 | $1,180,000 | $112,340,924 | $2,958,086 |
| 2020 | $76,032,000 | $76,635,000 | $1,065,218 | — | — | — | — | $153,902 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Henderson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations whose work spans several areas. For example, Girls Who Code says it works to equip girls from underserved communities for careers in STEM, and Pennsylvania Voice says it works to increase participation in democracy through education and mobilization. Illuminate the Arts describes its work as bringing people together to create public art; Locus Science Fiction Foundation says it promotes access to and appreciation of science fiction literature.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 56 grants totaling $4,416,459. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $500,000, with a median of $50,000. Notable grants included $500,000 to Chapel & York US Foundation for Birmingham City University’s Henderson Computer, Engineering & Technology Awards; $500,000 to San Francisco Foundation for the India Basin Waterfront Park Campaign; $250,000 to Illuminate the Arts for the Bay Lights 360 Campaign; and $200,000 each to Girls Who Code and Locus Science Fiction Foundation for general support.
Other listed grants included $160,000 to VoteAmerica for campus programs in Arizona; $150,000 to Pennsylvania Voice for work in Philadelphia and its suburbs; $150,000 to Tides Foundation for the Center for Working Families’ work in Pennsylvania; and $150,000 to Women Donors Network for the Abortion Bridge Collaborative Fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Rebecca R Henderson as president and director, and Cal J Henderson as treasurer, secretary, and director.
The Henderson Family Foundation is led by Rebecca R. Henderson, President & Director since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Rebecca R. Henderson
President & Director
Chief Executive Officer → President & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cal J. Henderson
Treasurer, Secretary & Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Callum Henderson-Begg (2020–2023) — Chief Financial Officer & Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Henderson Family Foundation
How much does The Henderson Family Foundation give each year?
The Henderson Family Foundation gave $4.4M across 56 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.6M across 36 grants.
What is The Henderson Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Henderson Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $78,865, across 56 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Henderson Family Foundation give grants?
The Henderson Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (20 grants), Oakland, CA (8 grants), New York, NY (5 grants) and Atlanta, GA (3 grants).
Does The Henderson Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 48% of The Henderson Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 56) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Henderson Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Henderson Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Chapel & York US Foundation Inc ($500,000), San Francisco Foundation ($500,000) and Locus Science Fiction Foundation ($352,000 across 4 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Henderson Family Foundation?
The Henderson Family Foundation reported $110.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $5.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Henderson Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations whose work spans several areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Henderson Family Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Henderson Family Foundation's EIN?
The Henderson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-4363440. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Henderson Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Henderson Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-henderson-family-foundation-morg_382f6f53f5154b758ff723309a5a26e4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_854363440_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Henderson Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-henderson-family-foundation-morg_382f6f53f5154b758ff723309a5a26e4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Henderson Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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